From Today, I'm a Player

Chapter 208: Two Serpents Pt. 3

“Has he really gone insane?” Heracles said, letting out a flustered breath as if he was dumbfounded.

“That crazy bastard…!”

It seemed that he was still upset by their meeting with Yashin earlier.

“I mean, if he doesn’t want to help, that’s one thing…but to treat us like Underdog’s lackeys?”[1]

“Was that really the problem?”

Odysseus rubbed at his temples as he looked over at Heracles. The party was residing at a lodging provided by Yashin, a shabby hotel on the outskirts of Tokyo.

“The Japanese Hunter who had guided us here, just what did he say? You can’t come out without permission? That bastard, I’m going to tear open his face.”

Odysseus pointed out, “I mean, it’s not like he said anything wrong. Japan doesn’t need our help, nor does it intend to help us. We’re uninvited guests here.”

“Odysseus, whose side are you on?”

What do you mean, sides? I’m just telling the truth.”

Odysseus wasn’t wrong. However, there was still the other issue.

“Yashin had the power of a Ruler,” Lee Jun-Kyeong commented.

“Right? So then he’s an enemy,” Heracles said in response.

“But calling him an enemy just because he has the power of a ruler is…”

Odysseus stumbled over his words as he looked cautiously over at Lee Jun-Kyeong. Yashin had the power of a Ruler. Heracles and Odysseus had also met Rulers, as before Europe had collapsed and England sunk, they had met with and hunted the Rulers that were within their own country.

They had battled with the Rulers repeatedly, having to face their terrifying strength over and over again due to them being so tenacious it was almost ridiculous.

“Despite having the power of a Ruler, he seems to have maintained his reason,” Odysseus commented.

“…”

However, Lee Jun-Kyeong quickly shot him down.

“That would be impossible.”

Whether it was Elfame or Sangun, everyone would have their sanity destroyed by the power of the Rulers. Could Yashin have endured because he had stronger mental fortitude than those two? No, that was impossible.

‘It’s probably the help of someone else.’

Yashin would have gotten help from someone else, someone who understood well what it meant to be a ruler. It was easy to guess who that person could be.

“The Demon King…” he muttered.

“What?”

“Pardon?”

Lee Jun-Kyeong looked at the two of them and said in a determined tone, “It seems that Yashin and the Demon King have been in contact.”

***

“Long live His Majesty the Emperor of Heaven!”

Yashin raised his hand to calm the Hunter, who was about to cry out in honor of the emperor to no end. Soon, the Hunter fell on his knees and prostrated himself as if he was kneeling before God.

“Report,” Yashin barked.

“As you commanded, we are monitoring them, making sure to have impenetrable security.”

“Hmm…”

“There have been no other special occurrences. If I may dare to speak disrespectfully before his majesty…”

“Enough,” Yashin said, raising his hand again as if the useless comments were getting too long.

Immediately, the Hunter went silent like a mute. Yashin's orders were absolute.

“Hmm…”

Yashin contemplated alone.

“At a time like this…”

He wasn’t happy with Lee Jun-Kyeong and his party’s visit. To be frank, he couldn’t have even imagined that they would have shown up at this moment.

‘I was told that Korea was in ruins. Moreover, the people with him were obviously Heroes of Olympus.’

Yashin had put a great deal of effort into grasping the situations unfolding abroad. Unlike Japan, which had been completely dominated, it was difficult to get information from anywhere overseas due to the impregnable veils, but he had still heard at least this much through reliable sources.

‘And they wanted help to save the world, he said…’

In the past, he might have helped. However, now, things were different.

“Why would I have to do something like that… kekeke….” Yashin muttered with a low laugh. “When I have the power to hold the world in my hands.”

He was no longer the Yashin he had used to be. He had been completely reborn, taking off the mask of a weak human and being reborn as a perfect being. He had the power to topple mountains and destroy cities with a single finger, a power that could be said to be absolute.

'You bastards are wrong.'

Although he wasn’t sure what they would be asking for help for, it didn’t matter. He muttered, “If you wish to protect the world…”

His voice dropped lower, distorting into a voice that didn’t sound human. “Then I will be the enemy you will protect it from.”

It was almost like the voice of a snake. Light shimmered between the bamboo sudares.

Slither.

Behind his back, a snake-like shadow rustled like the flickering of a lantern.

“Everyone will prepare for the ceremony. There will be no setback in preparing for it.”

At his oddly abstract order, a single answer came back as one from multiple voices, “We have received your order!”

Yashin didn’t end there, either.

“Call that person over.”

Again, the same unquestioning answer came in turn.

“We have received your order!”

***

"I'm going to die of boredom here."

With three fully grown men locked in a tiny hotel room, it was understandable that there would be complaints. Heracles was restless, as if he was feeling caged and antsy, while Lee Jun-Kyeong was lost in thought.

“Is there any news yet?” Odysseus asked Lee Jun-Kyeong.

“Not yet.”

They were waiting for the Familiar who had gone to collect information.

Their hotel accommodations were extreme. Even all of the windows had been blocked so that the sunlight couldn’t come in, and they couldn’t see out.

“How can he tell us to rest as much as we want when he shoves us into a dump like this?”

Heracles was expressing his displeasure once again. He seemed to really dislike their current situation.

“If they’ve been having contact with the Demon King, let’s just break it all down and catch that bastard, Yashin.”

“Do you really think it would be that easy? Haven’t you seen the more than two hundred Heroes?”

“Are you really afraid of them? Do you really think we’d lose that battle?”

Heracles wasn’t wrong. Although the number of Heroes was high and all of them were strong, considering the strength of their current party, the three of them were more than enough to deal with the Japanese Hunters.

No, the actual problem was Yashin’s existence.

“Do you think Yashin will stay still until we’ve killed all of them?” Odysseus asked.

“I couldn’t even begin to measure how strong he was. Can you?”

“...”

“If, by chance, he’s at a level where even the Underdog can’t handle it…”

Odysseus and Heracles looked at Lee Jun-Kyeong. There was no contest, Lee Jun-Kyeong was the strongest in the group. He finished whatever he was contemplating and looked over at the two of them.

“I wasn’t able to definitively probe him.”

“...!”

“...!”

Although it was only a short sentence, the two Hunters’ eyes widened as if they had received a great shock.

“Even you…”

“Don’t misunderstand me. It’s because it seems that his power has been hidden by something.”

Lee Jun-Kyeong knew he could face Yashin. He even had the confidence to take him down.

“Because the Demon King is behind him… it would be a problem for us if the Demon King is here. So, don’t be too relieved right now.”

“But you’re still saying you can take him down, right?”

It was only after Lee Jun-Kyeong nodded that they felt relieved. There was silence for a while.

"By the way…” Odysseus said, breaking the silence. “Truthfully, I don’t know about this.”

Although he had been quarreling with Heracles, Odysseus had seemed uneasy ever since they had arrived in Japan.

“Yashin has still retained his human reason even after becoming as strong as a Ruler, right?”

“For now, yes.”

“Moreover, he’s saved Japan from the cataclysm.”

“...”

Lee Jun-Kyeong realized what the Hunter was about to say.

“Then don’t you think it would be better just to leave him alone? Even if he’s not going to give us any help, do we really have to become enemies with him?”

“...”

“Considering all of the countless people that are going to die, don’t you think it would be okay to just leave this place alone, considering how safe it is?”

Certainly, Odysseus was someone who advocated for humanity. He wasn't wrong. The appearance of the Japan that they saw wasn’t just normal but ideal. The Hunters were strong and were able to hunt the monsters, and the ordinary people were able to build their lives under their protection.

The people they had seen, even if it had only been for a short while, were going about their lives as if they had peace of mind and seemed as though they were living comfortably. If their party were to fight against Yashin, their peace would end.

Odysseus continued in a skeptical voice, “Moreover if we even kill Yashin…don’t you think this place would change to be just like the other countries within the cataclysm?”

“That’s why I’m saying we should at least run, then! What are we doing here?” Heracles shouted as if he had been offended by Odysseus’ words.

But Lee Jun-Kyeong was different.

“You’re right,” he said in a firm yet low voice while looking at Odysseus. “If we kill Yashin, this place will be…well, they’ll have to experience the same horrors as Korea or the other countries. Experience a life where people would die, screaming in despair.”

“...”

“You…”

“However,” Lee Jun-Kyeong interjected, not finished yet. “What if Yashin is being manipulated by someone? What if his instinct as a Ruler isn’t being suppressed? What if Yashin is no longer human…?”

“Does that matter? Whether or not he’s a human, in Japan, the people are able to live peacefully…”

“No, you’re wrong.” Lee Jun-Kyeong said firmly. “The people will never be able to live peacefully. No, I’d say…”

Lee Jun-Kyeong stood up from his seat as he continued, “When all this is over, this will become the ultimate hell.”

“Even if you are the Underdog, how…”

“Because I’ve lived that hell before.”

“...!”

“...?”

Lee Jun-Kyeong had come out with the most resolute attitude and appearance. Heracles and Odysseus seemed to be taken aback by Lee Jun-Kyeong as they saw a side to the Hunter that they had never seen.

“KYAA!!!!!!”

Then, at that moment, a piercing scream came from outside.

“Damn it! These damned windows!”

However, the windows were blocked by wooden boards and didn’t allow them to see what was going on outside.

“KYAA!!!!!”

The screams didn’t stop. Unable to stay still, Odysseus hurriedly opened the door. Outside, the Japanese Hunters stood waiting as if they were watching them.

“I hear screams from outside! Something seems to be going on!”

As Lee Jun-Kyeong translated his words, the Japanese Hunters nodded and seemed to be radioing someone.

“Okay.”

“I don’t hear any more screams…” Odysseus said as the screams that seemed to tear through the screamer's throat suddenly stopped.

“Are you done then?” the Hunter at the door said as he indifferently closed the door.

The group looked at each other.

“That son of a bitch…”

“Do they think we’re fools…”

The screams outside had definitely been cut off.

“That woman who was screaming just now, she’s definitely dead.”

However, that scream had been cut off by killing the woman who was screaming.

“What are we going to do now?” Heracles asked

They had to decide what to do now. Yashin’s attitude toward Lee Jun-Kyeong had been strange, and the situation in Japan was abnormal. Moreover, even though they had heard a woman scream just now, the attitude of the Hunters had been indifferent. The corners of Heracles’ mouth had risen as he asked his question.

“You cheeky little bastard,” Odysseus scolded Heracles as he shook his head.

“I guess we can’t help it,” Lee Jun-Kyeong said as he also looked at Heracles and laughed.

“Hahaha!”

Heracles boisterously laughed so hard that the old hotel seemed about to collapse.

“Good! This is what it’s supposed to be like!”

Before anyone realized it, Heracles had his gauntlets made of heavy steel equipped on both hands.

“You could have been a little slower about it, you know,” Odysseus playfully scolded. However, the Hunter also already had his sword in hand.

“Then…” Lee Jun-Kyeong was about to say.

“Screw off! I’m going first!” Heracles interrupted, slamming his fists together.

Ding!

A clear sound, like the ringing of a bell, spread through the air. However, unlike the dainty sound, the results of Heracles’ actions were disastrous.

BOOM!

A thick cloud of dust erupted into the air with a thunderous noise. The old hotel eventually couldn’t stand the eruption any longer and collapsed.

Shuffle.

From the smoke rising from the collapsed hotel, a bear with blazing red eyes lifted its body up.

1. The word lackey means something much harsher in Korean. Think lackey with the same venom as a slur. ????